changing anti-roll bar bushes - how risky?

[ska bongo]

Hi,

We're off on an adventure this weekend and am wondering how much of a risk it would be to change the anti-roll bar bushes?

Are the bolts likely to break? What happens if they do - can they be easily replaced or is it a Bongo-specific thing I'd need to order? (I already have the bushes). Is there anything else that might go wrong?

And finally, anyone in south Birmingham got some ramps and like to help me out with it? Not to worry otherwise as it's about time I found out if our local garage is a friendly one!

Thanks,

Sam.

[mikeonb4c]

I'd be careful. Spray them well with peentrating oil, releasing agent etc. and expect them to be tight. Use a six sided socket not a 12 sided one, to miminise slipping off hte nut and burring it. Use an extension bar as it will be that kind of tight. But if that doesn't want to budge, then leave the job till you get back as it is possible to shear bolts off and then you'd be stuffed.

If you don't have new bushes ready to fit, you can cheat by shimming out the old ones using bicycle inner tube to line the bush with and then re-tighten.

Provided you have good access to the clamp bolts and the bolts undo OK, the job itself is extremely quick.

Good luck

[ska bongo]

Cheers Mike - I'm starting to think the risk will outweigh the benefit.....

Any ideas whether the bolts are standard or not, I'd probably be asking a garage to change them due to my lack of ramps anyway!

Sam.

[lizard]

Cheers Mike - I'm starting to think the risk will outweigh the benefit.....

Any ideas whether the bolts are standard or not, I'd probably be asking a garage to change them due to my lack of ramps anyway!

Sam.

Three major risks are personal ones, scraped knuckles, nut trouble and back trouble. I was lucky I didn't have nut trouble.

[Lloydy]

I have recently changed mine and placed a topic here on the subject.

I would leave it until your return if i were you!

The bolts are not bolts. They are studs / captive bolts which are attached to the subframe. The nuts can also be difficult to find as they are 'fine' threaded...

If you shear the lower bolts you will be able to drill and replace with a decent bolt and locknut. The top ones however would require quite a lot of work and not for the fain hearted!!

As has been said... The job itself is REALLY easy if all goes well. The innertube method is said to work well but then the new bushes are only £5 each!

Whilst you are doing this job it may be worth having a look at your droplinks as they also cause knocking.

I am no mechanic but would be more than happy to talk with you on this subject if you wish. PM me and i will give you my number.

Good luck,

Lloydy.

[mikeonb4c]

I was going to say there had been a really good thread on this recently....but Lloydy beat me to it

[ska bongo]

thanks for all the advice!!

I decided to risk it, via the local mechanic.... Turns out he's got a history with Bongos so a great discovery! I also discovered it was missing a nut attaching the left rear shock which I got them to replace too! I soaked the roll bar nuts in wd40 the night before and was armed with information in case they rang up and said it had gone horribly wrong!

Still some unnecessary noise from the back left, but it's a much less worrying sound than before It sounds more like loose trim than anything serious....

[mikeonb4c]

thanks for all the advice!!

I decided to risk it, via the local mechanic.... Turns out he's got a history with Bongos so a great discovery! I also discovered it was missing a nut attaching the left rear shock which I got them to replace too! I soaked the roll bar nuts in wd40 the night before and was armed with information in case they rang up and said it had gone horribly wrong!

Still some unnecessary noise from the back left, but it's a much less worrying sound than before It sounds more like loose trim than anything serious....

Good news. Keep going. Did you do the droplinks as well as the bushes?